• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.185-215
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• 2005

Advanced signal processing techniques have been long introduced and widely used in structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE). In our research, we applied several signal processing approaches for our embedded ultrasonic structural radar (EUSR) system to obtain improved damage detection results. The EUSR algorithm was developed to detect defects within a large area of a thin-plate specimen using a piezoelectric wafer active sensor (PWAS) array. In the EUSR, the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was first applied for signal de-noising. Secondly, after constructing the EUSR data, the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) were used for the time-frequency analysis. Then the results were compared thereafter. We eventually chose continuous wavelet transform to filter out from the original signal the component with the excitation signal's frequency. Third, cross correlation method and Hilbert transform were applied to A-scan signals to extract the time of flight (TOF) of the wave packets from the crack. Finally, the Hilbert transform was again applied to the EUSR data to extract the envelopes for final inspection result visualization. The EUSR system was implemented in LabVIEW. Several laboratory experiments have been conducted and have verified that, with the advanced signal processing approaches, the EUSR has enhanced damage detection ability.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-54
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• 2015

In general, cracks significantly deteriorate the in-situ performance of concrete members and structures, especially in urban metro tunnels that have been embedded in saturated soft soils. The microcapsule self-healing method is a newly developed healing method for repairing cracked concrete. To investigate the optimal microcapsule parameters that will have the best healing effect in concrete, a 3D analytical probability healing model is proposed; it is based on the microcapsule self-healing method's healing mechanism, and its purpose is to predict the healing efficiency and healing probability of given cracks. The proposed model comprehensively considers the radius and the volume fraction of microcapsules, the expected healing efficiency, the parameters of cracks, the broken ratio and the healing probability. Furthermore, a simplified probability healing model is proposed to facilitate the calculation. Then, a Monte Carlo test is conducted to verify the proposed 3D analytical probability healing model. Finally, the influences of microcapsules' parameters on the healing efficiency and the healing probability of the microcapsule self-healing method are examined in light of the proposed probability model.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.347-362
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• 2007

Due to heterogeneities at all scales, concrete exhibits significant variability in mechanical behavior from sample to sample. An understanding of the fundamental mechanical performance of concrete must therefore be embedded in a stochastic framework. The current work attempts to address the connection between a two-dimensional concrete mesostructure and the random local material properties associated within that mesostructure. This work builds on previous work that has focused on the random configuration of concrete mesostructures. This was accomplished by developing an understanding of the effects of variations in the mortar strength and the mortar-aggregate interfacial strength in given deterministic mesostructural configurations. The results are assessed through direct tension tests that are validated by comparing experimental results of two different, pre-arranged mesostructures, with the intent of isolating the effect of local variations in strength. Agreement is shown both in mechanical property values as well as the qualitative nature of crack initiation and propagation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.937-949
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• 2016

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) applications in the structural engineering field include concrete-FRP composite systems, where FRP components are either attached to or embedded into concrete structures to improve their structural performance. This paper presents the results of an analytical study conducted using finite element model (FEM) to simulate the behavior of three-points load beam reinforced with GFRP and/or steel bars. To calibrate the FEM, a small-scale experimental program was carried out using six reinforced concrete beams with $200{\times}200mm$ cross section and 1000 mm length cast and tested under three point bending load. The six beams were divided into three groups, each group contained two beams. The first group was a reference beams which was cast without any reinforcement, the second group concrete beams was reinforced using GFRP, and the third group concrete beams was reinforced with steel bars. Nonlinear finite element simulations were executed using ANSYS software package. The difference between the theoretical and experimental results of beams vertical deflection and beams crack shapes were within acceptable degree of accuracy. Parametric study using the calibrated model was carried out to evaluate two parameters (1) effect of number and position of longitudinal main bars on beam behavior; (2) performance of concrete beam with composite longitudinal reinforcement steel and GFRP bars.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.5_6
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• pp.689-709
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• 2010

In this paper, a low cost, low power but multifunctional wireless sensor node is presented for the impedance-based SHM using piezoelectric sensors. Firstly, a miniaturized impedance measuring chip device is utilized for low cost and low power structural excitation/sensing. Then, structural damage detection/sensor self-diagnosis algorithms are embedded on the on-board microcontroller. This sensor node uses the power harvested from the solar energy to measure and analyze the impedance data. Simultaneously it monitors temperature on the structure near the piezoelectric sensor and battery power consumption. The wireless sensor node is based on the TinyOS platform for operation, and users can take MATLAB$^{(R)}$ interface for the control of the sensor node through serial communication. In order to validate the performance of this multifunctional wireless impedance sensor node, a series of experimental studies have been carried out for detecting loose bolts and crack damages on lab-scale steel structural members as well as on real steel bridge and building structures. It has been found that the proposed sensor nodes can be effectively used for local wireless health monitoring of structural components and for constructing a low-cost and multifunctional SHM system as "place and forget" wireless sensors.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.663-683
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• 2014

In order to study the dynamic failure mechanism and aseismic measure for high concrete gravity dam under earthquake, the comparative models experiment on the shaking table was conducted to investigate the dynamic damage response of concrete gravity dam with and without the presence of reinforcement and evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening measure. A new model concrete was proposed and applied for maintaining similitude with the prototype. A kind of extra fine wires as a substitute for rebar was embedded in four-points bending specimens of the model concrete to make of reinforced model concrete. The simulation of reinforcement concrete of the weak zones of high dam by the reinforced model concrete meets the similitude requirements. A tank filled with water is mounted at the upstream of the dam models to simulate the reservoir. The Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) that induces the first tensile crack at the head of dam is applied as the basic index for estimating the overload capacity of high concrete dams. For the two model dams with and without strengthening tested, vulnerable parts of them are the necks near the crests. The results also indicate that the reinforcement is beneficial for improving the seismic-resistant capacity of the gravity dam.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.651-658
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• 2018

We comprehensively investigated the wrinkles of a stiff layer covering a spherical void embedded in a rubber matrix after the void experienced inflation or contraction. We developed an easy experimental way to realize the inflation and contraction of the voids. The inflation took place in a void right beneath the surface of the matrix and the contraction happened in a void at the bottom of the rubber matrix. In the inflation, the wrinkle at the center of the deformation was random, and the pattern propagated into rabyrinthine, herringbone, and then oriented parallel lines as the position was away from the center of the inflation to the edge. The cracks were concentric, which were perpendicular to the parallel wrinkled pattern. In the contraction, the wrinkle was simply concentric around the surface of the void without any crack. The cracks were found only near the center of the deformation. The strain distribution in the stiff layer after the inflation and contraction was theoretically analyzed with simulations that were in excellent agreement with the experimental results.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.157-171
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• 2019

This study investigated the effects of the geometric parameters of superelastic shape memory alloy (SE SMA) fibers on the pullout displacement recovering and self-healing capacity of reinforced cementitious composites. Three diameters of 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm and two different crimped lengths of 5.0 and 10.0 mm were considered. To provide best anchoring action and high bond between fiber and cement mortar, the fibers were crimped at the end to create spear-head shape. The single fiber cement-based specimens were manufactured with the cement mortar of a compressive strength of 84 MPa with the square shape at the top and a dog-bone shape at the bottom. The embedded length of each fiber was 15 mm. The pullout test was performed with displacement control to obtain monotonic or hysteretic behaviors. The results showed that pullout displacements were recovered after fibers slipped and stuck in the specimen. The specimens with fiber of larger diameter showed better displacement recovering capacity. The flag-shaped behavior was observed for all specimens, and those with fiber of 1.0 mm diameter showed the clearest one. It was observed that the length of fiber anchorage did not have a significant effect on the displacement recovery, pullout resistance and self-healing capacity.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.691-703
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• 2021

In this study, experiments were conducted to evaluate the flexural performance of prestressed hybrid wide flange (PHWF) beams with hollowed steel webs. A total of four PHWF beams were fabricated, where the width and spacing of the steel webs and the presence of cast-in-place (CIP) concrete were set as the main test parameters, and their flexural behavior and crack patterns, and the longitudinal strain distribution in a section with respect to the width and spacing of the steel webs were analyzed in detail. The experiment results showed that, as the ratio of the width to the spacing of the steel webs decreased, the flexural stiffness and strength of the PHWF beams without CIP concrete decreased. In addition, in the case of composite PHWF beam with CIP concrete, fully composite behavior between the precast concrete and the CIP concrete was achieved through the embedded steel member. Finite element analyses were performed for the PHWF beams considering the bond properties between the hollowed steel webs and concrete, and nonlinear flexural analyses were also conducted reflecting the pre-compressive strains introduced only into the bottom flange. From the comparison of the test and analysis results, it was confirmed that the analysis models proposed in this study well evaluated the flexural behavior of PHWF beams with and without CIP concrete.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.517-525
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• 2021

More underground structures are increasingly being constructed such as box culverts for electric power transmission, and the life extension of these structures is very important. It is well known that the steel embedded in concrete is usually invulnerable to corrosion because the high alkalinity of the pore solution in concrete generates a thin protective oxide layer on the surface of the steel. Recent observations in the field and experimental evidence have shown that even steel in concrete can be corroded through the carbonation reaction of cover concrete. Carbonation-induced corrosion in concrete may often occur in a high carbon dioxide environment. In this study, the risk of carbonation of underground box culverts in Korea was evaluated by measuring the car¬bonation rate and concrete cover depth in the field. Then, the carbonation-free service life for the cover depth of the steel was calcu¬lated with in situ information and Monte Carlo simulation. Additionally, an accelerated carbonation test for a cracked beam specimen was performed, and the effect of a crack on the service life of a box culvert was numerically investigated with Monte Carlo simulation based on experimental results.